Positive Patterns - The Start

Yes! There are benefits toPositive Patterns. But...Negative patterns have benefits too.Do You know the difference?

In the last article on the success mindset I said I would cover Positive Patterns in this article.

First though, a quick re-cap. So far, we’ve covered that,

Patterns are sub-conscious thinking processes and activities that we do on a regular basis.

Negative patterns are patterns that don’t actually help in the long term.

People develop negative patterns because there are short-term benefits.

The short-term benefits of negative patterns come at the expense of greater longer-term benefits.

A success mindset is one where the mind carries mainly positive thoughts and emotions. It is when the mind believes those things that support and encourage our growth and development. It is a mindset where we deeply believe we can achieve our desires.

Okay, let’s move on!

Positive patterns are those subconscious thinking processes and activities that help us in either the short-term or the long-term.

It’s important to note that negative patterns also have short-term benefits. The difference between the short-term benefits of negative and positive patterns is that the short-term benefits of negative patterns do not contribute to longer-term benefits.

On the other hand, the short-term benefits of positive patterns frequently contribute to longer-term benefits.

A few examples of positive patterns may help.

The first one I noticed in my life – PARKING’S NO PROBLEM! You may have heard of this one. There are some people who always seem to be able to take their car wherever they want and always find a parking space. Full car park at the supermarket? No problem, there’s a car just leaving near the entrance.

I ALWAYS STAY FIT AND SLIM. When you see those TV programmes like “The Thirty Stone Teenager” do you think that they got to age twelve or reached puberty and then for some unexplained reason started to accumulate body fat? No, me neither! Our personal eating and exercise habits are nearly always formed early in life. Some people develop the right habits early and just believe that’s the way it is for them.

I DON’T DO ILL! Or I’M ALWAYS HEALTHY. Another potential early-developed habit. It’s easy to feel sympathy and compassion for a child that’s poorly. The danger lies in overdoing it or doing it for too long. There are times when it’s better to say to a child, “Yeah, I know you’re a little bit off it but sometimes you just have to work through it. Now finish your breakfast and get ready for school!” Tell a child the benefits of fresh fruit and vegetables. Teach them good hygiene. Let them know that fresh air and exercise is important. Then they’ll soon be rationalising for themselves that their friends become ill because they stay indoors watching TV with popcorn and candy ALL the time, whilst they are always healthy!

I CAN DO MOST JOBS AROUND THE HOUSE. This pattern is often developed through encouraging and patient teachers who reinforce a belief in a child’s ability to do the things they see adults doing

I LOVE WORK, in fact I’VE LOVED ALL MY JOBS! This pattern is seen in those folk who developed an early habit of valuing their own contribution or creativity.

Hey! I didn’t even touch on the financial ones!

What’s important to note?

Well. In each case, there is a pattern of a thought process and an action that produces a positive emotion. It is the association of those thoughts and actions being experienced with a positive emotion that has set the pattern.

Remember here that even with negative patterns the short-term emotion is seen as relatively positive i.e. better than it was previously.

The difference is that in a negative pattern the short-term positive emotion or the short term benefit is seen to quickly return to a more negative state. With a positive pattern the emotional impact may be either short or long term, the benefit is likely to be long term or support further long-term benefit.

The key is being able to see the longer term benefit or the longer term emotional impact.

Now, there’s a bit more detail that we can add to that which may bring it all together. That comes in the next article. Details soon - subscribe to the RSS Feed or sign up for the newsletter for early notice!